Just checking out a report (via Twitter, from HCHooligans) from today's scrimmage against Rutgers: I guess it's way too early to consider this guy a bust, I just thought he would be contributing in some way because he was the second overall pick. That said, I really would expect this guy to, at the very least, have a good showing against a University team. Can we even expect him to playing the US Open Cup against Philly when he's not even looking good against Rutgers? I'm really hoping he works out but, right now, Ream is looking like a USMNT candidate (and the steal of the draft) and Tchani is not even looking good against Rutgers. Anyone know how Duka is working out for the Crew?
Well, take it FWIW, this is from a post by Mattrim on the MF boards: Dunno his source, etc, but the evidence on the pitch (and NOT on the pitch) certainly supports this take. Maybe he can't handle going from big fish to rookie fish. He better get his head together.
Well whats his salary? I read it was rumored to be around 200k back during the draft. If thats the case then 200k out of college and hailed as the next big thing in MLS by all the scouts and writers, he may not have the same incentive to battle for a position like the other 4 guys. Maybe now he will realize we dont have a guarantee spot for him on our starting 11 and work harder. It's still early though, until someone on the team or coaching staff verify the findings then we dont know for sure whats bothering him (could be personal issues, minor injury, etc).
I'm betting he'll get a start in our open cup match vs philly but other than that our CM pool is fairly deep so he'll have to bide his time and adjust his mentality.
He couldn't handle it in college, either. Remember that Gelnatovich benched him for half the season. Tchani failed Petke's "scream test" spectacularly, from what I hear.
Why don't we send Mike to the Combine next year and have him issue the test to anyone we're thinking of drafting?
I'm guessing I know what the scream test is, but could someone who actually knows how it works please describe it.
A veteran screams at you for ********ing up. If you wilt, or snap back, or treat it as anything but a valuable learning experience, you fail. Before the draft Petke was saying that Duka handled the scream test as well as anyone he's ever seen, and was one of the big reasons he lobbied the FO to draft the kid. If anyone feels like a trip down memory lane, here's the Metrofanatic superdraft preview I wrote in January. Obviously it's foolish to label Tchani a bust right now, but I still think that going with the unknown quantity was the wrong move for a team that wanted to win right away. Hopefully he ends up being worth the risk. EDIT: Here's another take from today's friendly:
it would be foolish, just as foolish as us discussing Ream as a superstar and killing those who knocked the 18th selection. Hopefully someone gets inside Tchani's head and brings out the best in him, even if he has to suffer through a humbling rookie season.
Nah, those people deserve everything they have coming to them. When you confidently offer opinions on shit you know nothing about you should prepared to eat crow.
It does make wonder, though. Isn't Richie Williams one of those old-school, scream test guys? And yet, he somehow let Tchani's bad attitude get right by him? Like he wouldn't talked Gelnovatch and gotten the skinny from him personally.
By way of comparison (painful though it may be), does anyone know how Duka is doing with the Crew? I note that he wasn't on the bench for the first game versus Toronto. Any word?
Yeah...that's what I figured it was. I don't know about the rest of y'all, but I am loving this "veteran leadership" stuff that Petke has been displaying as of late. From that bratty, bleached-blonde, loose cannon ten years ago...to the current pillar of the community -- I'm loving the transformation. For me, he's definitely become the "local" face of the team. The new Shep Messing, if you will. Cut his veins and liquid Red Bull pours out.
I agree. Petke has really taken to his role as the team's "elder statesman." He's a good leader. I hope this is the year he gets his "revenge" on DCU.
I said it before the draft - I do not see Tchani ever as a central midfielder. All of this Shalrie stuff was projection. He never tackled in college, so what was the likelihood he'd start at the next level? For me, he was always destined to be a forward. In college, he played as a supporting attacking midfielder, but he's a long way from getting to do that in MLS without two-way play. I wonder if his problems stem from being asked to do things he just can't/won't do.
Back to Tchani, I hope this thread is just a pile of crap and there is nothing really to all of this. Time will tell.
Yes. I think we all got too high on the fact that he was a #2 pick...and all the glowing combine reports. Hans, I believe, himself said that he loved Tchani...and hoped he would start contributing minutes by the end of the season. That right there tells you they all see him as a work-in-progress. Hopefully the kid has his head screwed on right, puts in all the hard work, listens to everyone, and learns every day.
If "local New York boy" Mike Petke takes this organization to heart, then he is the type of person who could actually make this team credible with New Yorkers (instead of just making us feel like a spaceship full of strangers landed from Austria). There hasn't been a single player in the past 15 years in this franchise who really *really* believed in the organization, and made the rest of market believers, too (...maybe Gionvani Savarese, but just maybe...and maybe Juan Pablo Angel, maybe). Just about every player who played here looked like they'd rather be somewhere else. Tab Ramos always looked this whole MLS thing was beneath him. Alexi Lalas treated his stay here as a joke. Roberto Donadoni couldn't wait for his contract to end so he could get on a plane. Youri Djorkaef actually *didn't* wait for his contract to end before he got on the plane. Marcelo Balboa didn't take it seriously. Tom Dooley thought it was a joke. Lothar Matthaeus came here for a girl. Amado Guevara just came here to cause trouble. Tony Meola was always just loyal to Tony Meola. Claudio Reyna looked like he was just getting over a long nap. Richie Williams (as a player) always looked like he couldn't wait to get traded back to DC United. Eddie Pope never could quite believe he had to be here. Jaime Moreno feined injury all season to get out of playing here. ...and so on. Long story short...no player ever loved this organization enough to make the team matter to the public. (And the organization showed no loyalty to the players.) But Petke might be that guy. He might be the guy who can make this team a "New York" team. My advice to Mr. Soler: Get Mike Petke in front of the cameras, interviewers, and journalists every chance you get. His enthusiasm is becoming infectious.